#24. Knight

Anti-Gravity.

Quite literally, a force opposing gravity.

If gravity is a force that pulls, anti-gravity is ‘any force that counteracts gravity’.

I managed to compress that concept into a single firearm.

“Let us begin.”

The power of anti-gravity is evident even in the firearm itself.

It happened during the first experiment. Applying the anti-gravity circuit to the shotgun eliminated all recoil.

The ‘Anti-Gravity Shotgun’, with recoil and romance alike vanished, almost ended up scrapped, but I soon discovered a new possibility.

If there’s absolutely no recoil, couldn’t the firepower be increased indefinitely?

Well…

Rather than say it a hundred times, it’s better to see it once.

I centered Professor Cecil in the sights.

“Ah, now that I see it, is that the weapon from back then?”

Professor Cecil, recognizing the shotgun, sighed.

“…Time was certainly lacking.”

She drew her sword and began approaching me.

“With that weapon’s lethality, you cannot hope to oppose me.”

A dismissive reaction. Little does she know. While it may resemble the old one, its performance is entirely different.

“You’ll regret this.”

I delivered the light warning and pulled the trigger.

A satisfying blast, a wide spray of shot.

Simultaneously, Professor Cecil swung her sword.

Crimson energy, befitting her, carved a line across the earth. A ‘barrier’, reminiscent of a defensive spell, rose from the scarred ground, blocking the projectiles’ path.

Then, the sound of shattering glass.

The barrier broke.

“……Eh??”

Cecil’s expression twisted in an instant.

Perhaps it was the shattering of her painstakingly erected defense, or perhaps the pain of the projectiles’ impact.

Of course, the shot was non-lethal. Utilizing ‘mana spheres’ imbued with recognition magic, they vanish upon identifying a body, preventing penetration or piercing.

Instead, they send you flying. Far away. Very far away.

“Kuh…!”

Newton’s Second Law.

Acceleration is directly proportional to the force applied to an object.

『F = ma』

The overwhelming output, fueled by anti-gravity, pushes ‘instantaneous acceleration’ to its limits, exerting extreme physical force upon the target.

Professor Cecil’s body rocketed backwards. She smashed through a couple of large trees, kicked up a monstrous cloud of dust, and tumbled across the ground.

“What in the…!”

Professor Cecil’s voice held bewildered disbelief. She seemed remarkably unharmed.

Even though I’d modified it to avoid any ‘direct damage’…

To be that intact after being launched like that? Unbelievable.

Honestly, I’d hoped to incapacitate her with the first shot.

“Ha ha…! This is just absurd!”

[ Caution: Left shoulder. ]

As she rose to her feet, the system issued an immediate warning.

Thought didn’t factor in. I acted. I raised the shotgun, defending my left shoulder.

It was a fleeting instant. In the blink of an eye, Professor Cecil was beside me.

Given the distance, it was an astonishing speed.

Kaga-gak!!

The sword met the barrel of the gun, grinding against it with a bizarre sound.

With ordinary materials, it would have been sliced through. I’d have lost my weapon and conceded defeat.

But this time it’s different!

Forged from ‘Crohaten Alloy’, the world’s most renownedly durable metal, and reinforced with protective magic, this shotgun would not be easily cleaved.

Procuring the materials was my professor’s responsibility.

Thank you, Professor Rachel!

“It didn’t break…?”

My body slid back about three meters. Thanks to body-enhancing potions I managed to avoid falling, but the shockwave rippling through my entire being placed a considerable burden on my frame.

Nevertheless, I forcibly forced my arm to move.

As I mentioned before, there’s no recoil with this gun.

“God damn it…!”

Second shot fired.

The bullet strikes its mark.

Having adapted to the impact by now, Professor Cecil twisted mid-air, felling a tree in his path.

Time for maintenance.

I break the gun open; the spent casing ejects. I grab a fresh cartridge from my bag, slot it in, and snap the weapon closed. Maintenance complete.

Krrruuummm—!

The tree he just felled is collapsing. By now, Professor Cecil must’ve landed.

‘System, where to next?’

[Target acquired directly ahead.]

A figure slowly emerged from the thick cloud of dust.

“Rain Ortiz…”

An enraged voice.

Looks like I’ve gotten myself into a spot, but I’m not backing down.

“Yes, your invention is remarkable. I’ll grant you that.”

“Thank you.”

“However, a ‘Knight’ is not such an easy opponent.”

Was I imagining it?

Her eyes seemed to glow faintly.

“….”

This is insane.

I wasn’t imagining it.

“Releasing your Aura against a student?”

“Show me the mettle of a Knight. Dragging things out like this won’t earn you high marks.”

Aura Release.

A technique where Knights temporarily unleash a portion of their Aura, which they’ve steadily accumulated, granting them multiplied strength in combat.

It’s like a secret weapon for Knights.

“…I don’t know about that. ‘Chivalry’ isn’t exactly my thing.”

I ejected the unfired bullet.

Then, I loaded a different type of cartridge.

“Instead, I enjoy experiments. They’re…entertaining.”

“What are you talking about…?”

“Professor, do you know what the most entertaining experiment is?”

Aiming.

Target locked.

“Human experimentation.”

Firing.

A slightly unusual bullet was launched. A single, large projectile, not scattered like buckshot. Its speed is a bit slower compared to before.

Professor Cecil now knows that evasion is more advantageous than defense. He sees the bullet in his sights and has no reason not to avoid it.

However.

“Think I’ll fall for the same trick three times?”

It’s not the same trick, Professor.

*Thunk.*

The bullet, moving in a straight line, vanished just beside Professor Cecil.

The bullet’s form was a sphere, seemingly of condensed mana. But even mana, a mass compressed to such high density, couldn’t simply disappear in an instant.

Sensing something amiss, Professor Cecil immediately moved.

Though it was already too late.

Let me tell you beforehand. I’ve decided to name this bullet ‘Anti-Gravity Bullet.’

“Haha…!”

I laughed aloud.

The bullet hadn’t actually vanished.

It had merely shrunk to an invisible degree.

And the concept opposing shrinkage is expansion.

Did you know?

In academic circles, the force expanding the universe is sometimes defined as anti-gravity.

───!!!!

The Anti-Gravity Bullet expanded instantly, striking Professor Cecil. Buried into the ground, Professor Cecil, having been pushed back dozens of meters, no longer moved.

“Huff, huff…”

Did I win?

Did I actually win?

“…”

I won.

I did it.

I pushed through so many absurdities and seized victory.

“It’s not been thirty minutes yet, should I wait?”

What an invigorating feeling.

Like I’ve had a full night’s rest, even though I didn’t sleep at all.

Is this accomplishment?

Truly a good feeling…

[Be careful of the rear.]

Huh?

*KWAANG.*

A thunderous sound erupted in my head.

Then tinnitus, and then, pain.

It hurts.

“Ghk…”

What is it?

It’s dark.

It tastes bitter.

Ah…

I’ve been planted face-first in the dirt.

“What kind of goddamn contraption is this?!”

Professor Cecil shouted, blood trickling from his head.

Dozens of question marks bloomed in my head.

It withstood that?

…A rapidly expanding mana barrier?

“This is the Knight Department! Did you think we’d permit carelessness?!”

He criticizes not the equipment, but the negligence.

“Professor…”

I know full well you despise me, Professor.

What’s likeable about a kid who skips class?

But I despise you too, Professor.

The entrance ceremony…you haven’t forgotten, have you?

I swallowed the words I couldn’t bring myself to say, grinding my teeth.

I…I refuse to lose.

“Raine Ortiz, high combat strength, but a complete failure as a ‘knight.’ Final score: C+.”

What kind of forced logic is that?

That’s really too much.

If I fought well, couldn’t you give me a slightly higher score?

Professor Cecil, now right in front of me, glared, eyes wide.

Look at that gaze. If I make any careless move, I’ll be tasting dirt again for sure.

Silence is the best policy…

But…

“Professor, you’re not very popular, are you?”

The words I couldn’t restrain myself from speaking burst forth.

Ah, whatever.

Things will somehow work out.

One bullet still remains loaded.

I fired.

Right there.

I just shot it.

And my consciousness flickered out.

*

–Cecil Bellett.

I remember that day.

–What is a knight?

I remember the day I became a knight.

–A knight is…

A formal knight must possess an unwavering conviction.

Because of this, the customary questions are posed during the inauguration ceremony.

‘What is a knight?’

─One who is humble.

Cecile’s first answer proclaimed maturity.

─And also, one who is not indolent.

The second answer alluded to the importance of diligence.

─One who gives their all, never retreating.

The final answer asserted the nobility of courage.

It was like an oath. A conviction she must uphold for life.

“······.”

She surveyed the forest, now utterly ravaged.

All thanks to some student’s deranged invention.

She’d be writing a report. Well, after such destruction of nature…

Cecile looked down.

A figure with raven hair, lying unconscious, covered in blood.

The culprit behind the forest’s ruin in such a state; she couldn’t help but chuckle dryly.

“Completely unhinged.”

Rain Ortiz.

Now she understood. She could describe him in a single line.

This b*stard is insane.

She’d never seen such abnormal competitiveness. No matter how much you wanted to win, who in their right mind would self-destruct?

The reason for his obsession with grades was also beyond her…

Anyway, he was still green. One had to know when to yield.

“······.”

Huh.

“······Hah.”

This was strange.

Didn’t I say it myself? The nobility of courage.

I am…

Why am I here?

Why am I retreating?

For what possible reason…

No answer came.

Evasion. She evaded the fact that she was evading.

Because she didn’t want to return to the battlefield.

She was retreating with all her might.

Cecile looked up at the sky.

Filthily clear, the sky.

“Rain Ortiz.”

Without even glancing down, she declared to the one who couldn’t hear.

“You are arrogant.”

Overconfident, failing to follow the ‘escape’ mission, a man lacking all humility.

“Lazy.”

A hopeless case who skipped lectures without a word for an entire month.

“You did not yield.”

And yet, one who possessed the courage to strive for victory.

These were the scoring criteria, arbitrarily decided by Cecil Belial.

‘He shall be a knight.’

She spoke as if painstakingly piecing together shattered conviction.

“Final score, A+.”

And thus, the final exam came to an end.